


So, this boy is not a charity case…

by FreakingOutGirl



Series: Son of a Exy! [13]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Light Angst, Luke has some issues, M/M, Neil Josten & Andrew Minyard Adopt, Protective Andrew Minyard, Protective Neil Josten, Talk Shows, just stop going to talk shows, protective dads, there's nothing that can't be fixed by ice cream
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-04
Updated: 2017-08-04
Packaged: 2018-12-11 06:03:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11708322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreakingOutGirl/pseuds/FreakingOutGirl
Summary: When Andrew and Neil go on a talk show with their current team and the host not only had pictures of their private family life, but calls Luke a charity case as well, protective dads activate their mode. And Luke might need some reassurance as well...





	So, this boy is not a charity case…

Neil was wondering why in the hell he let his captain convince him that appearing in a national talk show was a good idea. And just like Andrew could read his thoughts, he scoffed beside him, on the couch, where they were sitting, next to each other and all the rest of their teammates. Neil could feel Craig’s eyes on him, daring him to step out of line and promising a cruel punishment under the guise of extra training. Neil wondered if his captain saw his first live talk show, back when he was a Fox… somehow he doubted it…

During the first half of the show, Neil and Andrew kept quiet, letting the team talk and smile back at the audience. Andrew could feel Neil’s nervous energy, his leg jumping up and down, like a rabbit’s.

“Calm down!” Andrew shushed him, one of his hands over Neil’s knees. Maybe the gesture brought the attention of the host to the least talkative members of the group, maybe it was only a sixth sense, however, suddenly, the couple found themselves under the scrutiny of the man. Theresa moved uncomfortably next to Neil, like a warning, and Neil rolled his eyes at her.

“So, Andrew, Neil… Can you tell us a bit more about playing in the same team as your other half?” the man asked, Louis, Neil’s mind gave him his name after a few seconds of silence.

“What other half?” Andrew asked, in a bored tone.

“Well, aren’t you and Neil living together? A couple?” Louis asked, swallowing at Andrew’s expression and Andrew scoffed.

“Yes, but I was under the impression that that didn’t make us any less than our own persons…” Andrew replied and Louis grimaced.

“Well, hum… Neil!” the man suddenly rounded on Neil, that jumped at the sudden interaction. “How is it to know your partner has the goal well defended?”

Neil wondered if he should answer like Andrew, but catching the eye of one of their coaches, he backtracked.

“It’s very calming, Andrew is the best goalkeeper in the League and I couldn’t be happier about playing with him.” Coach Richard showed his thumbs up and Neil almost chuckled. He almost expected the man to start showing him papers with what to say next.

“Well, Andrew, I know you are very active in helping children in need with your work in orphanages and the foster system…” Louis started, but Andrew’s eyebrows rose. Seeing that, Louis clarified. “It is known you took part in some fundraisers and volunteer work in your first team…”

“Yes, but it was years ago…” Andrew replied and this time it was Louis’ expression that changed.

“Well, Andrew, it’s great for you to try and be humble, but we have pictures of you and Neil helping a foster kid…” and then the man produced a grainy picture of Neil, Andrew and a boy with black hair and blue eyes. Anyone could see Neil trying to score on the boy, that was defending a makeshift goal made of two small trees, in a park, and Andrew standing behind them with his arms crossed and another racquet on the ground.

“That is not a foster boy.” Andrew stated, his eyes shining dangerously. This time it was Neil’s time to try to calm him down, even if he was fuming as well. Breaching their family time like that made Neil angry and only using his last ounce of control kept him from unleashing Andrew into the world.

“What? Isn’t this a boy whose mother…” Louis was going to complete the sentence when Neil’s head wiped around and his mouth worked faster than his brain.

“Say another word and I’m going to make sure you never get another job in your life!” Neil felt Andrew calm down at Neil’s words and almost every teammate face-palmed themselves.

“I’m sorry, but this is the information I had… So, this boy is not a charity case… I’m sorry for my words.” Louis actually looked ashamed, but the error was made as soon as he showed the picture. Invading their privacy was something Neil and Andrew couldn’t tolerate, so when Andrew opened his mouth, Neil looked surprised at him.

“Maybe you should look at the boy’s parents and say that… And that boy is definitely not a charity fucking case! He has a family and a home!” Andrew exclaimed and the man looked at him, trying to understand just how could he do that. Maybe for the first time, the presenter noticed the team’s uncomfortable looks, and Andrew’s and Neil’s angry faces. Seeing Andrew point at himself and Neil actually made all the blood disappear from the man’s face.

“Oh my god! I’m so sorry, I had no idea this boy was your son!” Louis tried to say, but a guy behind a cameraman was already making crazy gestures with his waving hands, telling him to cut it short and end the show.

As soon as the last farewell left the host’s mouth and the lights dimmed, he tried to approach Andrew and Neil who were already rising from the couch.

“Our privacy is not to be used by sharks wanting to get audiences and positive reviews. It is done in our terms and when we say so. Maybe if you tried to ask you could have done a good thing with this interview, that said, I think it’s best if we don’t speak again…” Neil said, before the man could open his mouth, and quickly followed Andrew out of the stage.

When they arrived on the backstage, the first thing Neil saw was Luke, sitting in a chair, with his legs dangling around. He was biting his lower lip in a worrying way.

“Hey, Squirt!” Neil said, messing with Luke’s hair. Andrew was already sitting on another chair with the darkest look on his face that Neil could imagine.

“Hey…” Luke said, softly, and Neil crouched in front of him.

“That guy was an asshole, don’t worry about him…” Neil said, taking Luke’s hand in his. When he said that Luke could come and see their interview, Neil could never imagine just what a clusterfuck it would turn out to be.

“He called me a charity case…” Luke whispered and Neil realized what was really messing with Luke’s head: he was doubting, probably for the first time, his place in the family.

“You are not a fucking charity case! We choose you to be part of our home, because we wanted and not because we were trying to be some fucking members of the Peace Corps! Renee already has that covered!”  Andrew’s voice was almost angry, or as angry as Andrew could get at Luke.

For all Luke’s bravado to the rest of their current team, the Foxes or even Wymack and Abby, he was still a kid trying to find his place in the world after some rough first years of life. And it was the first time that anyone actually uttered the words charity case about him since Andrew and Neil adopted him.

“Andrew is right, that guy doesn’t know shit about our life, Luke. He has no idea the great kid you are, how the cats love you, how you are an excellent goalkeeper, how you make our day great just by being yourself!” Neil was gushing now, trying to make Luke smile, but it was having none to zero success.

“Let’s get away from here!” Andrew said, grabbing both Neil and Luke by the scruff of their shirts and dragging them away. When they met with the rest of the team, the coaches tried to talk to them and especially Luke, but Andrew ignored all of them and kept going. Neil barely had time to wave at them.

Andrew drove away, with Neil beside him and Luke on the back seat, keeping quiet. A worrying trait about him, that was incredibly rare that left Neil without knowing what to do. A silent Andrew was one thing, Neil had years to learn how to deal with him, how to read his face alone, but Luke was always so vivid that when he let the blues get the better out of him, Neil was lost.

When Andrew finally stopped in front of their favorite gelataria, Neil saw the first sign of surprise in Luke’s eyes.

Andrew left the car, telling Neil and Luke to stay put. When he came back, carrying three ice cream containers, Luke and Neil looked at each other. Andrew eating incredible amounts of ice cream was not a novelty, however, putting his car in danger of being dirtied by it, like he was currently doing, opening his container after passing Neil’s and Luke’s, was awing in itself. Luke waited until Neil started eating, for him to start as well. For a long time, no one spoke, each emptying their ice cream cup, Neil’s much smaller than the other two. When the ice cream disappeared, Luke put his cup down and looked at Andrew and Neil.

“Thank you…” he said simply and Neil smiled softly at him.

“There’s no need for that… If you get any spot in the leather you and the cats are cleaning it!” Andrew exclaimed, without looking at Luke.

Neil winked at Luke and the boy opened in a grin.

If that night, Neil tried to cook Luke’s favorite dish under the amused look of Andrew, that ended up having to quench a small fire, no one commented, not even Luke, that for once, was just going to bask in the warm of being loved and cared about. Even if the spaghetti and meatballs tasted slightly charred.


End file.
